Temiscaming Workers Plan Mill Buyback as US Tariffs Halt Production

The paper mill in Temiscaming, Quebec, has been idle since early October. The facility, which produces paperboard for frozen-food packaging and scratch-off lottery tickets, sent roughly 75% of its output to the United States before trade tensions escalated.

RYAM, the American owner of the plant, initiated an indefinite economic shutdown in early October. Most of the mill's 360 employees are currently without full work. They are receiving partial pay through a government tariff-relief program.

A local coalition led by union official Stephane Lefebvre is organizing a bid to buy the facility back from RYAM. Lefebvre stated that the group cannot succeed without financial support or tariff relief from Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Quebec government.

The town faces immediate economic strain. Property values dropped sharply, and for-sale signs are visible in residential neighborhoods. Local service providers, including grocery clerks and hospital staff, fear they will face similar job losses if the mill does not restart.

Mayor Alain Gauthier attributed the crisis to US tariffs, describing them as a bomb aimed at Canadian manufacturing. He called for Ottawa to impose counter-duties on US board products, which currently enter Canada without tariffs.

The mill is not the only industry feeling the impact. A local contractor reported laying off 13 workers due to the slowdown in forestry and trucking. Industry Minister Melanie Joly noted that the government has allocated $400 million to support the forestry sector in rural and remote areas.

The government is also providing a cash-flow program to help businesses pivot away from US markets. A spokesperson for Joly said the government is actively working with parties involved to find a viable solution for the Temiscaming mill while managing public funds responsibly.

In August, the US imposed 50% duties on approximately C$28 billion of Canadian goods, including wood and paper products. Canada responded with dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs. RYAM declined to comment on a potential sale of the plant or prospective buyers.

Workers are also watching the US midterm elections. Some hope that falling approval ratings for President Donald Trump will pressure his administration to ease tariffs. Senator Susan Collins recently lobbied for tariff relief on some Canadian goods, though changes do not yet apply to the products made in Temiscaming.

The town faces a physical deadline as winter approaches. Sub-zero temperatures could freeze equipment at the idle plant, causing damage that would complicate reopening. Frank Dottori, a retired mill engineer who helped organize a similar buyback in 1973, advised the current group to organize boldly to find a leader with strong charisma.